A photo exhibition offers a rare glimpse at the evolution of North Korean women as breadwinners challenging a patriarchal society.
One photo depicts a woman pulling a hand cart loaded with goods, another shows a young woman dressed up in a mini-skirt, sparkling earrings and high heels. An exhibition held at the UTS Business School in Sydney offers a stark departure from the stereotypical portrayal of North Korea dominated by eccentric leaders, rigid regimes and a pervasive military presence.
“So, we really want to show and deepen understanding of North Korean society in many aspects from ordinary people's perspectives, especially women's perspectives,” she said. Dalton, who first visited North Korea in 1992 while studying at Yonsei University in Seoul, has witnessed monumental changes in the country. In particular, she pointed out the shifting role of women catalysed by the famine of the 1990s.